The Power of Social Media: It changes people
When in the midst of a journey, a sudden realization emerges that social media has transformed ‘humanity’ today. We are now familiar with the term ‘viral’, which is more commonly used compared to 10 years ago when it only referred to the spread of viruses. However, nowadays, anything can go viral and easily be exposed to the online world. Whether it’s accidents, scams, romantic incidents, or other seemingly important or trivial matters, everything leaves its own digital footprint.
Reflecting on the early 2000s, when technology and social media were not as widely used as they are now, we might have been ‘enjoying’ life without being addicted to our gadgets. Life was lived authentically without a tendency or anxiety towards things that seemingly made us feel the need to stay informed. Information was obtained from relatively credible sources without a bias towards specific interests. In contrast, today’s information from social media is not entirely reliable, as all information blends into one. It is not easy to distinguish between what is true or false. However, we seem to always seize the opportunity to acquire instant information without verifying its accuracy.
Gradually, without us realizing it, social media, technology, and their companions are changing us as human beings. This transformation encompasses behavior, awareness, mentality, and thinking patterns. While many positive aspects influence our lives, negative elements have also emerged in our daily routines. It seems like we can’t stop staring at our device screens, and we can even say that we can’t live without social media and the internet. This awareness brings me back to childhood memories when time was spent playing with friends, free from today’s technological addiction. Although technology had not developed as much as it has now, I believe we all experienced the joy of playing without the presence of social media.
Social media serves as exposure where we not only upload photos or information but also share our feelings, thoughts, and activities with everyone. I recall my first mobile phone, a Nokia, with the motto ‘connecting people’, symbolizing the connection when the mobile phone was turned on. Look at it now; technology provides us with the opportunity to easily access many aspects of life and even change our communication habits. However, despite the excitement of this technology, it has shortcomings that affect us as ordinary human beings.
The abundance of social media platforms doesn’t intrigue me. Personally, I only use platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Both Facebook and Twitter were highly popular in their time, even their still exist till now, but Instagram’s has been more stable compared to other platforms. My tendency not to be ‘intrigued’ may be defined as conservative towards new things. Personal branding is one aspect that can be highlighted on our social media accounts as a reference for our personal competitiveness. And that has become viral nowadays.
The viral phenomenon can be called FOMO or the ‘fear of missing out’, where we fear missing out on many trending things. Haven’t we seen such things often? However, those with this phenomenon realize something — that people unaffected by it are considered unique. They appreciate that these individuals remain true to themselves and are not easily influenced. Some even aspire to embrace their originality, although not many admit that these individuals may be considered outdated.
Several studies provide empirical evidence that technology affects the psychological aspects of its users. Some find it challenging to concentrate for extended periods or easily get distracted. Consequently, ‘we’ are more inclined to spend time with gadgets and social media, even for something seemingly pointless. Other studies show that, on average, humans stare at their phone screens for about 9 hours a day. This means our sleep time is shorter than the time spent on social media.
